The development of microsatellites and nanosatellites for low earth orbits requires the collection of sufficient power for onboard payload instruments that are low in weight and low in volume. Because the overall surface area of a microsatellite or nanosatellite is small, body-mounted solar cells may be incapable of providing enough power to the payload instruments. A power choke problem is caused by inherent low solar panel efficient and inherent low solar energy per area resulting in the need for very large collection surfaces. Deployment of traditional, rigid, solar arrays necessitates larger satellite volumes and weights. Due to the solar radiation incident, large satellites also require additional navigation apparatus for pointing at a fixed attitude for maximum collection of solar energy.
Cylindrical spinning satellites have long been deployed to provide various functions such as communications and imaging. The cylindrical satellite has a plurality of flat thin elongated solar cell panels running the length of the satellite forming a cylinder. The plurality of solar cell panels is equiangularly radially positioned around the diameter of the cylinder. The cylindrical spinning satellite is deployed at a specific attitude relative to the earth and sun so that the satellite collects maximum solar energy to power onboard payload instruments. As the satellite collects solar radiation, the energy is expended by the instruments producing thermal radiation. The instruments must not over heat. The satellite design provides for sufficient thermal radiation so that the payload instruments are maintained within thermal limits. The payload instruments radiate thermal energy within the satellite cylindrical cavity. Due to a lack of symmetry, cylindrical spinning satellites require specific attitudes relative to the sun to reduce the variance of the solar radiation and hence to reduce the temperature variations of equipment within the cylinder. Hence, the cylindrical spinning satellite disadvantageously requires precision attitude guidance and deployment. The cylindrical spinning satellites typically have relatively large solar panels in elongated shapes requiring large stowage capacity within a deployment launch vehicle. The payload within the cavity is surrounded by a large and unwieldy solar panel rendering deployment difficult as well as disadvantageously requiring large launch cavities.
Spherical shapes have been proposed for nanosatellites, and geodetic shapes have been used for fabricating roughly spherical structures for many years. However, deployable spherical structures have not been designed for space satellites, and deployment methods for terrestrial geodetic shapes have not been made to enable easy deployment. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the invention.